Peace Monument

The Peace Monument, also known as the Navy Monument, Naval Monument or Navy-Peace Monument, stands on the western edge of the United States Capitol Complex in Washington, D.C. It is in the middle of Peace Circle, where First Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW intersect. The surrounding area is Union Square, which the monument shares with the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial, James A. Garfield Monument, and the Capitol Reflecting Pool. The front of the monument faces west towards the National Mall while the east side faces the United States Capitol. The idea of a monument honoring men who fought in the Union Navy during the Civil War was spearheaded by Admiral David Dixon Porter, who wanted the monument to stand in Annapolis, Maryland, where his father, Commodore David Porter, had assisted in the installation of the Tripoli Monument. Due to an uneasy relationship between the younger Porter and Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, the monument was not installed in Annapolis. Porter lobbied Congress and an additional $20,000 was allocated to build the base. This was in addition to the $9,000 Porter raised amongst naval personnel and private citizens. Porter chose Franklin Simmons to sculpt the monument's statues, one of many works in Washington, D.C., by Simmons. Architect of the Capitol Edward Clark designed the base. Pieces of the monument began to arrive in 1876, and the final piece arrived in January 1878. Unlike most of the city's war monuments, there was no formal dedication ceremony. The monument is made of Carrara marble, which has led to numerous restorations, since that type of marble is not meant to be outside in the elements. The monument is 44 feet (13 m) high and is 10 feet (3.0 m) long on each side. There were additional pieces that were to be installed, including decorative lampposts and water features, but either due to funding or Welles' intervention, the monument remained unfinished. The monument has become a gathering place during protests and rallies, leading to further deterioration of the marble. People protesting against the Vietnam War, the Three Mile Island accident, and the murder of George Floyd, have gathered at the monument. It was also a site where rioters gathered before the January 6 United States Capitol attack. The Peace Monument is a contributing property to four listings on the National Register of Historic Places and the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites: the National Mall Historic District, the Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site, the collective listing of Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C., and the L'Enfant Plan. Ownership of the monument was transferred in 1973 to the Architect of the Capitol, which has performed several cleaning and restoration projects since that time.